Destruction.  And Belial promises half his kingdom during his life, and the whole on his decease, to him who succeeds in doing so.  But notwithstanding the magnitude of his power, the depth of his wiles, and the number of emperors, kings and crafty rulers that are beneath his sceptre in that huge City of Destruction, notwithstanding the courage of his countless hosts beyond the gates in the lower region, that task will prove too difficult for them; however great, powerful and untiring his majesty may be, in yon small street is a greater than he.”

I was not able to give very close attention to his angelic reasons, being occupied in watching the frequent falls people were having on the slippery street.  Some I could see with ladders scaling the tower, and having reached the highest rung, falling headlong to the bottom.  “Where do those fools try to get to?” I asked.  “To a place that is high enough--they are endeavouring to break into the treasury of the princess.”  “I warrant it be full,” quoth I.  “Yes,” answered he, “of everything that belongs to this street, to be distributed among its denizens:  all kinds of weapons for invading and extending territories; all kinds of coats-of-arms, banners, escutcheons, books of genealogy, sayings of the ancients, and poems, all sorts of gorgeous raiments, boastful tales and flattering mirrors; every pigment and lotion to beautify the face; every high office and title—­in short, everything is there which makes a man think better of himself and worse of others than he ought.  The chief officers of this treasury are masters of the ceremonies, roysters, heralds, bards, orators, flatterers, dancers, tailors, gamblers, seamstresses and the like.”

From this street we went to the next where the Princess of Lucre rules supreme; this street was crowded and enormously wealthy; yet not half so magnificent and clean as the Street of Pride, nor its people so foolishly haughty, for here they were for the most part skulking and sly.  Thousands of Spaniards, Dutchmen, Venetians, and Jews were here, and also a great many aged people.  “Prithee, sir,” said I, “what manner of men might these be?” “They are pinchfists one and all.  In the lower end thou shalt see the Pope once more together with conquerors of kingdoms and their soldiery, oppressors, foresters, obstructors of public paths, justices and their bribers, and all their progeny from the barrister to the constable; on the other side, physicians, apothecaries, leeches, misers, merchants, extortioners, money lenders, withholders of tithes, wages, rents or doles left to schools, almhouses and the like; drovers, dealers who regulate the market for their own benefit; shopmen (or rather, sharpers) who profit on the need or ignorance of their customers; stewards of all grades; clippers {14a} and innkeepers who despoil the idlers’ family of their goods and the country of its barley, which would otherwise be made into bread for the poor.  All these are arrant robbers, the others in the upper end of the street are mostly small fry, such as highwaymen, tailors, weavers, millers, grocers and so on.”